Browsing by Author "Pearson D"

Now showing 1 - 13 of 13
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    Acknowledging Landscape Connection: Using Sense of Place and Cultural and Customary Landscape Management to Enhance Landscape Ecological Theoretical Frameworks
    (MDPI (Basel, Switzerland), 2023-03-23) Pearson D; Gorman J; Albuquerque UP
    Landscapes are important socio-ecological systems. They are widely researched through landscape ecology to aid conservation and environmental management efforts, yet these efforts are not always as successful as they could be in terms of on-the-ground impact. Increasingly when considering conservation, it is being recognized that indigenously managed landscapes have slower rates of biodiversity loss and better environmental outcomes. Local knowledge and connection to the landscape can play a significant part in successfully managing these landscapes. Acknowledging that stewardship of the landscape is more effective when people are a part of the landscape with deep-rooted connection to place is important for understanding the significance of traditional ecological knowledge and the implementation of indigenous-led action. It has also been shown that researchers who have a stronger sense of place and connection to landscapes can also drive initiatives that have better environmental outcomes. This means that human connections to landscapes are important for management strategies, and a better understanding of the human cognition of landscapes is necessary in landscape ecological theoretical frameworks. This review paper explores literature that acknowledges cultural perspectives and cognition of landscapes and how this relates to landscape ecology. It makes recommendations about how landscape ecology can contribute towards better on-the-ground outcomes by embracing more effective mechanisms of collaboration and participation to incorporate local and indigenous knowledge.
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    Effects of spatial data resolution on the modelling and mapping of soil organic carbon content in hill country grassland landscapes
    (John Wiley and Sons Ltd on behalf of British Society of Soil Science, 2024-01-19) Tran DX; Dominati E; Lowry J; Mackay A; Vibart R; Pearson D; Devantier B; Noakes E
    Limited use has been made of spatially explicit modelling of soil organic carbon (SOC) in highly complex farmed landscapes to advance current mapping efforts. This study aimed to address this gap in knowledge by evaluating the spatial prediction of SOC content in the 0–75 mm soil depth in hill country landscapes in New Zealand (NZ) using point-based training data, along with topographic covariates and Sentinel 2 spectral band ratios using an automated set of machine learning (AutoML) tools in ArcGIS. Subsequently, it also focused on quantifying the effects of spatial data resolution (i.e., 1, 8, 15, and 25 m) in terms of predicted map accuracy. Farmlets with contrasting phosphorus fertilizer and sheep grazing histories located at the Ballantrae Hill Country Research Station, NZ were selected to conduct the research. Six candidate algorithms incorporated in the AutoML tools (i.e., XGBoost, LightGBM, linear regression, decision trees, extra trees, random forest) and ensemble model were utilized to model the spatial pattern of SOC content. The results show that the ensemble model that combine predictions of various algorithms applied for 1 m data resolution enables the highest performance and accuracy (i.e., R2 =.76, RMSE = 0.66%). Among the predictive variables used in the model, slope, wetness, and topographic position indices were found to be the most important topographical features that explain SOC patterns in the study area. Inclusion of spectral indices derived from remote sensing, including surface soil moisture and clay minerals ratio, made further improvement to the SOC content prediction. The study reveals that a decrease in the resolution of the geospatial data does not substantively affect the mean SOC content estimation of a farm-scale modelling. However, using coarser resolution data reduces the ability of the model to predict changes in the spatial pattern of SOC content across a hill country grassland landscape.
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    Emergent Properties of Land Systems: Nonlinear Dynamics of Scottish Farming Systems from 1867 to 2020
    (MDPI (Basel, Switzerland), 2021-11-01) Aspinall R; Staiano M; Pearson D; Debolini M
    Dynamics of arable and pastoral farming systems in Scotland over the period 1867-2020 are documented using time series analysis methods, including for nonlinear dynamical systems. Results show arable and pastoral farming, at a national scale, are dynamic over a range of timescales, with medium- and short-term dynamics associated with endogenous system forces and exogenous factors, respectively. Medium-term dynamics provide evidence of endogenous systems-level feedbacks between farming sectors responding to change in world and national cereal prices as an economic driver, and act to dampen impacts of exogenous shocks and events (weather, disease). Regime shifts are identified in national cereal prices. Results show change and dynamics as emergent properties of system interactions. Changes in dynamics and strength of endogenous dampening over the duration of the study are associated with dynamical changes from major governmental policy decisions that altered the boundary conditions for interdependencies of arable and pastoral farming.
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    Feature Papers in Landscape Ecology: An Editorial Overview
    (MDPI (Basel, Switzerland), 2024-03) Pearson D; Martínez-López J; Rescia AJ; Baldwin R; Martínez Pastur GJ
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    Hyperspectral Data Can Classify Plant Functional Groups Within New Zealand Hill Farm Pasture
    (MDPI AG, 2025-03-21) Cushnahan T; Grafton M; Pearson D; Ramilan T; Hasenauer H
    Reliable evidence of species composition or habitat distribution is essential to advance pasture management and decision making, including the definition of fertiliser rates for aerial top dressing. This is more difficult in a diverse environment such as New Zealand hill country farms. The simplification of the landscape character using plant functional types and species dominance has proven useful in ecological studies and in modelling grasslands. This study used hyperspectral imagery to map hill country pasture into plant functional groups (PFGs) as a proxy for pasture quality. We validated a farm scale map generated using support vector machines (SVMs), with ground reference data, to an overall accuracy of 88.75%. We discuss how that information can improve on-farm decision making and allow for better coordination with off-farm consultants. This form of farm-wide mapping is also critical for the successful application of variable-rate aerial topdressing technology as input for the allocation of fertiliser rates.
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    Hyperspectral Data Can Classify Plant Functional Groups Within New Zealand Hill Farm Pasture
    (MDPI AG, 2025-03-21) Cushnahan T; Grafton M; Pearson D; Ramilan T; Hasenauer H
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    Informing Future Land Systems Using Self-Reported Pathways and Barriers to Connections to Nature: A Case Study in Auckland, New Zealand
    (MDPI (Basel, Switzerland), 2022-10) Fehnker L; Pearson D; Howland P
    Empirical research exploring what increases an individual’s connection to nature is growing, however research seeking respondents to self-report what they feel acts as a barrier or pathway to their connection to nature is scarce. Previous empirical literature suggests a link between connections to nature and pro-nature actions. Therefore, understanding what acts as a barrier or pathway to people’s connection to nature can provide insight as to what may promote, or hinder, pro-nature actions. From a land systems perspective, the research is crucial, given that human disconnection from nature is argued to be the reason behind large scale ecological crises and species extinction which threaten the land systems in which we live. Consequently, a cross-sectional qualitative study was undertaken in 2019 with 976 respondents from Auckland, New Zealand to explore self-reported perceptions of what acts as a barrier or pathway towards their connections to nature. The findings suggest that respondents perceive modern society modalities such as ‘life takes over’, ‘urban life’, etc., as being barriers to their connections to nature. Being exposed to nature, was perceived as a pathway to prompting, and/or sustaining their connections to nature. These learnings highlight the benefit of exploring the perceived influences on connections to nature and the findings can be applied to improve the human–nature connection and therefore potentially increase pro-nature actions. We also use the findings to provide practical actions for environmental managers in the Auckland region by advising as to how the human–nature connection can be supported through future urban planning and better designed urban land systems.
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    Integrating ecosystem services with geodesign to create multifunctional agricultural landscapes: A case study of a New Zealand hill country farm
    (Elsevier Ltd, 2023-02) Tran DX; Pearson D; Palmer A; Dominati EJ; Gray D; Lowry J
    An ecosystem-based management approach (EBM) is suggested as one solution to help to tackle environmental challenges facing worldwide farming systems whilst ensuring socio-economic demands are met. Despite its usefulness, the application of this approach at the farm-scale presents several implementation problems, including the difficulty of (a) incorporating the concept of ecosystem services (ES) into agricultural land use decision-making and (b) involving the farmer in the planning process. This study aims to propose a solution to overcome these challenges by utilising a geodesign framework and EBM approach to plan and design a sustainable multifunctional agricultural landscape at the farm scale. We demonstrate how the proposed approach can be applied to plan and design multifunctional agricultural landscapes that offer improved sustainability, using a New Zealand hill country farm as a case study. A geodesign framework is employed to generate future land use and management scenarios for the study area, visualize changes, and assess the impacts of future land use on landscape multifunctionality and the provision of associated ES and economic outcomes. In this framework, collaboration with the farmer was carried out to obtain farm information and co-design the farmed landscapes. The results from our study demonstrate that farmed landscapes where multiple land use/ land cover types co-exist can provide a wide range of ES and therefore, meet both economic and environmental demands. The assessment of impacts for different land use change scenarios demonstrates that land use change towards increasing landscape diversity and complexity is a key to achieving more sustainable multifunctional farmed landscapes. The integration of EBM and geodesign, is a transdisciplinary approach that can help farmers target land use and management decisions by considering the major ES that are, and could be, provided by the landscapes in which these farm systems are situated, therefore maximising the potential for beneficial outcomes.
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    Landscape ecology 40 years since Allerton Park: looking back and to the future!
    (Springer Nature BV, 2024-03) Pearson D; Pearson D
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    Lifestyle Properties, Ecosystem Services, and Biodiversity Protection in Peri-Urban Aotearoa–New Zealand: A Case Study from Peri-Urban Palmerston North
    (MDPI (Basel, Switzerland), 2021-12-06) Pearson D; Fürst C
    Intensive agriculture and urbanization are putting pressure on natural capital in Aotearoa–New Zealand (NZ), with native ecosystems and water quality suffering degradation. As the population has increased, so development has pushed into the rural–urban fringe. Over the last 30 years, the number of lifestyle properties in NZ has increased dramatically. Many of these properties have been developed on some of NZ’s most productive soils, meaning a loss of provisioning services from this land. However, given their location, these developments present new opportunities for the enhancement and protection of other ecosystem services. This paper presents the findings of an exploratory study conducted on lifestyle block residents in peri-urban Palmerston North. The results showed that these residents have a good sense of environmental stewardship and a desire to plant native species, improve connectivity, and protect their land from the invasion of pests and weeds. These residents are also quite community-focused and protective of their special place. This creates an excellent basis from which to encourage greater collaborative action towards protecting and enhancing biodiversity and to put in place land management strategies that can enhance natural capital and assist in other ecosystem service protection serving to improve the landscape ecology of peri-urban environments.
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    Multiple Roles for Landscape Ecology in Future Farming Systems: An Editorial Overview
    (MDPI (Basel, Switzerland), 2022-02-14) Pearson D; Gorman J; Aspinall R
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    Understanding Conceptions of ‘Nature’ for Environmental Sustainability: A Case Study in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, Aotearoa New Zealand
    (MDPI (Basel, Switzerland), 2021-09) Fehnker L; Pearson D; Howland P
    Empirical research that inductively investigates lay conceptions of ‘nature’ is scarce, despite global environmental narratives around sustainability calling for humans to have harmonious relationships with ‘nature’. This paper presents inductive research that attends to the empirical knowledge gap by exploring how respondents self-reportedly conceive ‘nature’ using Auckland, New Zealand as a case study. Results suggested that conceptions of ‘nature’ within the respondent group are diverse and range across 17 themes. Most commonly, respondents conceived ‘nature’ as being something that neither humans nor human influence or activities are a part of. This finding is consistent with what has been found by previous deductive research approaches to understanding conceptions of ‘nature’. However, this research provides a deeper understanding by identifying that respondents form associations with over 60 ‘aspects’ of ‘nature’. By highlighting the complexity of ‘nature’ from a human perspective and being able to identify significant components of ‘nature’ that people associate with, this study not only provides valuable insight for environmental management in the New Zealand study site, but also has potential to support improved management of human–nature interactions that can have a more targeted impact towards achieving sustainability goals at the global scale.